The Sindh government has started Pakistan’s first programme to educate children whose parents are in jail. The launch event was held at Central Jail Karachi, attended by Education Minister Sardar Ali Shah and Prisons Minister Hasan Ali Zardari.
This programme will give free education from primary school to university. It is a joint effort by the Sindh Education Department, Sindh Prisons Department, and Paigham-e-Pakistan. Around 4,684 children of jailed prisoners will get support for their studies.
Education Minister Sardar Ali Shah said the state should care for these children like a mother. “They have done nothing wrong and deserve an education,” he said. He added that just as the state punishes criminals, it should also ensure their children get a chance to study.
Sindh is the first to introduce this kind of programme. The government is collecting data on these children, and more than 10,000 will be helped to enroll in schools and universities. Families can choose between public or private schools, and the government will cover the costs.
In the first phase, 100 children have received admission letters. Data for 2,638 children has been gathered, and they will soon be admitted with their families’ approval. The goal is to fill schools with students and reduce crime in the long run.
Prisons Minister Hasan Ali Zardari said families of prisoners also suffer because they lose their main provider. “We must change how people see prisons. Helping inmates’ children get an education will improve their whole family’s future,” he said.
The programme will also support young prisoners by teaching them useful skills. Right now, 14 juveniles are in Sindh’s jails, and 56 children live in prison with their mothers. Plans are in place to help them get an education too.
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